It's three wins apiece for Kyle Croxall and Arttu Pihlainen, with the pair having dominated the last six races in Red Bull Crashed Ice. Canadian Croxall, who won the 2012 season opener in Saint Paul, and the Finn Pihlainen, who won the 2011 championship, will rekindle their head-to-head rivalry this weekend in Valkenburg.
Watch Saturday's race live on redbull.tv! Live coverage gets underway at 6pm (CET)
Pihlainen’s three-race winning streak came to an end in Saint Paul when he crashed into the wall after rival Croxall bumped into him halfway down the track during a thrilling battle for the lead. The judges ruled it was only incidental contact that was still within the rules and Croxall escaped without punishment. Pihlainen quickly got back on his feet and salvaged second place. They both said there will be more elbow-to-elbow battles like that in Valkenburg.
Both suffered heavy crashes in training on Friday and hit the wall hard ahead of the Elimination Round. Pihlainen (pictured, bottom), who was sixth in the International Shoot Out on Friday afternoon, and Croxall (pictured, below) appear to be friendly to each other off the ice but on the track the rivalry is intense.
Sebastian Marko/Crashed Ice Newsroom“Lots of people were making a controversy out of the contact in Saint Paul but the judges and Arttu said it was clean,” said Croxall. “I think there definitely needs to be some battling if you’re that close up front and you’re allowed to do that. It might look like pushing but it’s just battling for position and trying to get out ahead.”
Pihlainen, still disappointed about losing a race for the first time in a year in Saint Paul, said Croxall did bump into him from behind but blamed himself for the costly tumble. “We had contact but it’s difficult to say (if it was deliberate). That happens in this kind of sport. I made a mistake before the jump.”
Croxall is optimistic about his chances of getting a second straight victory in Valkenburg. He believes the long and high-speed course suits his strengths. At 97kg, he is 17kg heavier than Pihlainen. “The more weight you have, the more it’s going to carry you down the track. I’m coming here confident after winning the last race."
Attending this weekend's event in Valkenburg? Get a crash course on the Dutch town courtesy of wakeboarder Duncan Zuur and redbullcrashedice.com
Sebastian Marko/Crashed Ice Newsroom
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